CVE-2021-0667

Vulnerability

A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the apusys driver of MediaTek chipsets. This memory corruption issue can be triggered when a local attacker with System execution privileges interacts with the driver. The affected versions are those using the vulnerable apusys component prior to the patch identified by ALPS05670581 [1].

Exploitation

An attacker must already have System execution privileges on the device. No user interaction is required. The attacker can exploit the use-after-free by sending crafted inputs to the apusys driver, causing memory corruption that leads to privilege escalation [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation allows the attacker to escalate privileges further, potentially gaining higher-level access (e.g., kernel or full device compromise). This could lead to arbitrary code execution in a privileged context, bypassing security boundaries [1].

Mitigation

MediaTek released a patch (ALPS05670581) as part of the November 2021 Product Security Bulletin. Device OEMs have been notified and are expected to distribute the fix to end users. Users should apply the latest security updates from their device manufacturer [1].